Day 1

You should arrive at the airport to take your scheduled flight to Zurich. On arrival, we soon cross the Austrian border arriving in Innsbruck, staying two nights on a half-board basis at the four-star rated hotel Grauer Bär. The hotel well deserves its rating and is ideally situated on the edge of the historic centre of the Old Town.

Day 2

Centuries ago Innsbruck was the capital of an independent Dukedom and today the city presents an ensemble of medieval buildings to discover that provide a classic blend of gothic and baroque, culminating in the superb ‘Golden Roof’ – a wonderful copper-roofed 15th century establishment, built to symbolise the power of the first Duke’s court. This morning we have a walking tour of the city and an opportunity to see the ‘Golden Roof’ for yourself, together with other monuments such as the old Arsenal, the Hofburg – the former imperial palace, the magnificent baroque cathedral of St Jakob, and the Hofkirche - a wonderful 16th century church housing Duke Maximillian’s mausoleum and probably the finest Austrian renaissance sculptures in existence. Innsbruck is much more than just a collection of buildings though as it has one of the finest views in Europe, across the swift-flowing river Inn to the pastel-coloured, gabled, tall houses on the opposite bank and the death defying Bergisel ski jump, all surrounded of course by the magnificent Alps.
This afternoon we have a short drive to Jenbach to take a step back in time. Here we board the Achenseebahn steam cog railway which remains almost exactly as it was when first built over 100 years ago, even using the original locomotives! Chuffing hard, it winds up the steep valley side at a leisurely Victorian pace to the beautiful lakeside resort of Pertisau in the hills. We then return to Innsbruck for dinner.

Day 3

Today we visit Salzburg, a beautiful city with a wonderful relaxed atmosphere, and capital of the Salzkammergut – the Austrian Lake District. Until 200 years ago it was an independent state ruled by a series of Archbishops who turned Salzburg into one of the most sophisticated cities north of the Alps. The old town is delightful, displaying wonderful architecture dating from the medieval to 18th century and an enormous stone fortress, the Hohensalzburg perched high on a cliff-top and dominating the skyline. Spread out below is a maze of tiny streets lined with the exquisite shops that make window-shopping so satisfying. Then there is the wonderful Hellbrunn Palace with its famous trick fountains and the Mirabell Gardens are a must for the fan of all things horticultural. With its genteel atmosphere of bygone times, Salzburg is a superb spot in which to relax and explore at your leisure.
Without doubt though, Salzburg’s most famous citizen was Mozart, one of the greatest musical geniuses to have ever lived. His achievements were staggering: he played the piano at three; could compose rudimentary music at five and wrote his first opera at fourteen! His home has been restored and reminders of him are evident throughout the city. We have a guided tour of the city with the rest of the day free for you to explore as you wish, before driving to the heart of Bavaria and our hotel near Oberammergau in preparation for tomorrow’s highlight of the holiday! All hotel and ticket arrangements are made by the Passion Play authorities, thus ensuring good standards are maintained. Our rooms are guaranteed with a private bathroom in superior mid-class hotels, whilst our tickets are category 1, 1 being the highest and 3 the lowest. (Please see the theatre seating plan for more details.)

Day 4

After breakfast we make the short journey to Oberammergau, which for many will prove to be a memorable once in a lifetime experience! The Passion Play depicts the period when Jesus entered Jerusalem and continues up to his death on the cross and the resurrection. As stated earlier the origins date back to 1632 when a plague, which was ravaging the area around Oberammergau, spared the villagers any deaths. In thanks, the villagers pledged they would perform the Passion of Christ every ten years. All the actors are the villagers themselves, with over 2,000 participants, including children, and to be chosen for one of the leading roles is a great honour. Almost the entire populace is involved with all the props and costumes made locally. The theatre is of a similar design to the amphitheatres of ancient Rome thus ensuring that everyone can see and hear the performance to the greatest effect. After arrival in the village we have an included lunch and the entire performance takes five hours plus a break for an included dinner. Whilst the play is technically an amateur performance, in practice it is anything but. It is a truly professional spectacle in every way, awesome in its historical accuracy, with the Judgement scene being particularly moving - a bloodthirsty mob of 600 actors recreating this event with unnerving authenticity. Despite its worldwide notoriety, the play is still fundamentally an act of worship however, with all commercial sponsorship and offers of film contracts always rejected! After the performance we return to our hotel.

Day 5

After a leisurely start to the day, we visit one of Germany’s most famous and recognisable monuments, the unpronounceable, Neuschwanstein! Typifying our image of a classic German ‘fairytale’castle, this enchanting building has been the inspiration for so many stories and the model for Disney’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’ that has fascinated children the world over.
When Bavaria was independent, one of its most famous kings was Ludwig who, modelling himself on Louis XIV of France, embarked on a castle building programme of epic proportions, which eventually bankrupted the country! Indeed, one of his pet projects is the subject of our tour this morning. Clinging to the side of a vast valley in the most dramatic of settings, it was elaborately constructed in pink granite, both as a symbol of King Ludwig’s own belief that he had been divinely chosen for kingship and in homage to his idol, Wagner! The architecture inside is equally impressive: marble in abundance, the design freely draws from different architectural styles - Byzantine, Romanesque and Gothic. Tapestries and intricate art decorate the walls and the standard of workmanship is magnificent.  
This afternoon we drive along the beautiful ‘Deutsche Alpenstrasse’  – the German Alpine Road – through Bavaria’s stunning alpine region on one of the most scenic routes in Europe. Meandering between lofty mountains, crossing torrential rivers we enjoy picture-postcard scenery: cascading waterfalls, thick forests, cows gently grazing, Tirolean bells around their necks and pretty, traditional villages unchanged for centuries, surrounded by the snow-capped Alps in all their majesty.
We soon cross into Austria, reaching stunning Lake Constance and the lovely lakeside resort town of Bregenz. Here we stay two nights at the three-star superior Hotel Deutschmann. The hotel is modern, has a restaurant with outdoor terrace and is located just a short walk from the lakeside.

Day 6

Lake Constance, one of Europe’s largest lakes, shares its borders with three countries: Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Firstly we see Friedrichshafen, famous as the place where the ‘Zeppelin’ airships were built, but now renowned as a particularly attractive medieval town. Continuing our picturesque drive along the north shore brings us to Meersburg for the 15 minute ferry ride to the medieval city of Konstanz and a visit to Insel Mainau  - the Island of Flowers. The private castle, a Swedish Crown Estate and residence of Count Bernadotte, is surrounded by a stunning display of radiant colour and exotic fragrance – a delight to all and a mecca for garden lovers. It is particularly renowned for its rose garden featuring over 25,000 bushes, its tall trees and its palm and butterfly houses, as well as the delightful lakeside setting. Next we visit the charming city of Konstanz. Beautifully located, it straddles the Rhine and emerges from the lake, half in Switzerland and half in Germany with a delightful ‘old town’ to explore. We then return along the pretty southern shore of Lake Constance, through ‘chocolate box’ Swiss scenery and back into Austria and to our hotel for dinner.

Day 7

At the appropriate time we depart the hotel for Zurich and our return flight after a truly unique and memorable tour.